A look inside the new Queen’s Head Pub in Deep Ellum: Fish and chips and a tavern mood

Eric Bradford knows Deep Ellum. He’s worked at Trees, the Bomb Factory and Canton Hall/the Studio, and opened the now-closed restaurant Ebb & Flow. He’s also a big fan of British pubs, in and outside of Dallas. And, he’s a soccer fan. Opening Queen’s Head Pub in the neighborhood where he’s built his career feels like a no-brainer.

“I love the neighborhood, and really want to keep seeing it thrive,” Bradford says. “[We want to] get the right people down there during the day from foot traffic, and what better place to do it than a British pub?” Bradford has his mind set on attracting the folks who live in the apartments around Deep Ellum, and wants Queen’s Head Pub to become their local favorite. 

From Green Room to a pub room

The space, which partly occupies the long-standing and beloved Green Room, was given a complete makeover. Dark wood proper for a pub has brass accents and cozy corners to sink into. There’s quirky decor, like the velvet-covered lampshades on a couple of beauties by the bathroom.

Patrons can sprawl out with a pint in a quiet space that the staff calls Narnia: deep-seated leather couches and chairs, or cram into a wooden booth for bangers and mash. Or just belly up to the bar and amble around, talking to bar tables and making friends.

“To find unique pieces, our designers went to Round Top,” Bradford says. “They’d send us pictures, and we were just like, ‘Oh my god, we love that.’ There are lots of fun little things in there.” It’s also laid out to mimic a British pub with all kinds of nooks and crannies, rather than the flow of a sports bar into one big room. While there are TVs around — and you can watch sports from just about any seat — the screens have been situated so as not to dominate any room.

The standard fare and a spice bag

Speaking of bangers and mash, the smell of onion gravy wafting from the kitchen is so enchanting that you might feel compelled to order a plate. Or the banger and onion roll, which turns the meal into a sandwich served with chips. General manager Marc Torres says those tasty, herbaceous bangers (that’s sausage if you needed it decoded into American English) come from Wisconsin and are exclusive to the pub.

We had to try the fish and chips, a pub staple. The cod is cut into thick planks but has a substantial crust. The chips are tossed in cornmeal before being fried, giving them extra crunch. We liked that the potatoes were cut in varying widths; some are thick like steak fries, others crisp like proper chips.

Being the first night of business, everything we tried was really good.

We also tried the trending spice bag, an Irish street food (or hangover cure). It’s a unique dish that is often served in a bag: thick-cut potatoes and peppers are tossed with chicken chunks and dusted with Chinese spices and served with a curry sauce. We loved this iteration for the extra-spicy kick. Ours wasn’t in a bag — just a boring ol’ plate. But the manager told us the bags are on the way.

The beer list

The beers don’t lean heavily British, mostly because it’s difficult to source many of the unique brands in the UK. However, Bradford got Magners Irish cider, which is still manufactured in a historical brewery in Tipperary, and beloved by Brits for its sharp apple taste and by pub-goers for the cool soccer pull handle on the draft. “I’m a huge fan of the half-and-half,” Bradford says. “Give me a half pint of Magners and a half pint of Guinness.” There are also some solid Brit beers, including Newcastle, Smithwicks, Guinness and Old Speckled Hen.

For cocktails, there’s a mix of Dallas standards (yeah, you can get an espresso martini) with pub classics like a cucumber gin soda (a fancied-up version of the gin and tonic) and a Pimm’s Cup, along with all the classic cocktails. 

The music hit different here

Music plays a big role at the Queen’s Head Pub, as well. Bradford likes a strong musical component. He plans on bringing in bands after the World Cup wraps up. For now, it serves as a deterrent. The playlist ranges from classic rock from the ‘60s to the aughts. On opening night, we heard some deep cuts from Black Crowes. But on other nights it might sound a bit different. The aux gets passed around depending on who’s in the pub. With a caveat: Bradford wants young clubbers to know this isn’t a spot for them, unless they want to stop in for a bite to eat. No DJs or blacklights here. Just Pearl Jam and Badfinger. 

As far as World Cup programming goes, Bradford says they’ll show all the games and are working on a brunch menu for morning games, including a full English breakfast. They’re also partnering with Ian Camfield, the British DJ at Alt 103.7, who happens to live in the neighborhood, for live radio broadcasts during the three national men’s team games on June 12, 19, and 25. And, Bradford says, Camfield put his British stamp of approval on their bangers. 

The pub isn’t yet affiliated with any particular soccer team. Bradford wants that to happen naturally. So, if your crew of soccer hooligan fans is looking for a home base, now’s your chance to put your stamp on the Queen’s Head.

The Queen’s Head Pub is open now at 2713 Elm Street. The hours are from 11 a.m. until whenever they feel like closing (could be 10 p.m., could be midnight) from Tuesday to Sunday.